Dyess commissary closed after Monday afternoon fire

The cause of a Monday afternoon commissary fire on Dyess Air Force Base remained under investigation Tuesday, according to the base’s Deputy Fire Chief Floyd Jones, 7th Civil Engineer Squadron.

No injuries were reported in the blaze that ignited around 5:30 p.m. Three or four employees were stocking shelves inside the building while contract construction crews worked on the roof at the time of the fire, Jones said. Everyone was evacuated safely.

The amount of damage to the commissary hadn’t been determined Tuesday.

“Dyess firefighters and security forces personnel were at the scene of the fire in less than five minutes after receiving notification of the emergency,” Jones wrote in an email. “Once on scene, firefighters were able to locate the fire and extinguish it in less than one hour.”

The Abilene Fire Department also responded to the fire with one fire engine and one ladder truck at the request of the Dyess Fire Department. Firefighters stayed at the scene overnight “as a precaution and to assist the commissary staff and civil engineers with cleanup,” Jones said.

The 25,000-square-foot commissary, including the sales floor and warehouse, will be closed until repairs are completed, according to Dyess personnel.